Catching Up
by Marymel
Summary: Jackson talks to Catherine when she's in town, and talks to someone very special.


**Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI.**

**300th episode tonight!**

**This story idea came to me when I thought about how much I love Nick, Greg and Sara - to me, they're the hearts of the team. And I thought, since Nick isn't scheduled to be in the big 300****th**** episode (BOO!), I wondered how Jackson might feel about his favorite uncle being away. Of course, it would be great for him to see Catherine again as well. Anyway, here's what I came up with. Hope you all enjoy...and please review!**

Sara and Catherine sat in D.B. Russell's office, chatting and catching up. She and the FBI helped the team close a case. As much as she loved her job with the FBI, the team she left was her family. And, even though Grissom and Warrick were gone and Nick was in training at Quantico, she loved being with everyone again.

Catherine smiled softly at her former colleague. "I am so sorry about you and Gil."

"Thank you," Sara said with a soft smile. "His mom still emails me, tells me about his excursions...says he made a big mistake letting me go."

"She's right. I hope it works out for you both," Catherine said honestly.

Sara smiled softly. "Thank you." After a few moments of silence, Sara asked, "So how's Nick like training with the feds?"

"He's good, but he misses everyone here. By the way, where'd Greg get off to?"

Sara smiled as she looked down the hall and saw her good friend with his son approach the office.

Catherine looked back to where Sara was looking, and smiled when she saw her former colleague with his son.

Jackson smiled widely when he saw Catherine. "Aunt Catrin!" He said as he rushed to hug her.

Catherine knelt down to hug the little boy. "Hi, sweetie!"

"Hi, Aunt Catrin!"

Greg smiled when he saw his son with his former boss. "We couldn't let you leave without seeing him."

"Aw, thank you!" Catherine smiled at Jackson. "You've gotten so big!"

Jackson giggled. "I tall, like my daddy!"

"Yes, you are. How are you?"

"I good. I go to preschool!"

"He loves it," Greg said. Setting Jackson's backpack down and opening it, he said, "Do you want to show Aunt Sara and Aunt Catherine your picture?"

"Oh, yeah!" Jackson happily took his drawing from Greg and showed the women. "I drew a picture of some of my favorite amials. An' Hank's in da picture, Aunt Sara."

Sara's smile and eyes widened. "He is?"

"Yeah, right dere," Jackson said, pointing to one of the dogs he'd drawn. Pointing to the cat, he said, "Dat's Cinder, an' she likes to play wif her ball. She can jump high!"

Catherine smiled at the happy child. "Wow!"

Pointing to the third animal, Jackson said, "Dat's Sam. He Uncle Nicky's doggie, an' he my guard dog. Dat's what Uncle Nicky say when I stay over at his house, an' Sam slept on da floor by me on da bed."

Catherine couldn't help but smile. "That sounds like a very good doggie."

"He is, but I bet he misses Uncle Nicky." Sam had been staying with Sara while Nick was away.

Catherine smiled softly. "I'll bet you miss your Uncle Nicky too, huh?"

Jackson nodded. "Daddy say he getting training to be a good scientist, but I wish he was here."

Greg knelt beside Jackson and hugged him. "I miss him too, Jacks."

Jackson frowned. "Do you fink he misses me?"

Catherine lifted Jackson's chin with her finger and looked into his eyes. "I know he does."

"You see him?" Jackson asked.

"Yeah. He says he misses all of his friends and family here. And he especially misses you."

Jackson's eyes widened and he smiled softly. "He miss me?"

"He sure does! Every time I talk to him about how everyone is here, he always wants to talk about you. He always says 'I miss Jackson,' or 'Jackson does this' or 'Jackson says that'. He really does miss you."

Jackson giggled. "I miss him. He my buddy!"

The adults laughed softly. "And you know what?" Catherine asked. Jackson shook his head. "I know he cannot wait to get back home."

"See?" Greg asked as he hugged Jackson. "He's thinking about you all the time."

Leaning his head on his father's shoulder, Jackson smiled. "I hope he doesn't forget me."

"Jackson Hojem Sanders," Greg said softly. "Your Uncle Nicky loves you very, very much. He could never forget you."

"Ever?"

"Never ever," Greg said with a warm smile. "He is just crazy about you. And he won't ever forget you." He kissed Jackson's cheek.

Catherine smiled softly and checked her watch. "I think he's out now."

"Who?" Jackson asked.

Catherine simply smiled and dialed her cell phone. "Hey, I need an opinion here." She handed the phone to Jackson, who looked confused.

"Hello?"

"Hey, big guy," a familiar voice said.

Jackson gasped softly and smiled. "Uncle Nicky!"

Nick laughed softly. "Hey! How are you?"

"I good. Aunt Catrin's here!"

"I know! How cool is that?"

Jackson giggled. "It cool. But I wish you were here too. I miss you."

"Aw, I miss you. And tell everyone I miss them too."

"Daddy, Uncle Nicky say he miss you an' Aunt Sara!"

"Tell him we miss him, too!" Sara said with a smile.

"Aunt Sara say she miss you! An' she say Sam an' Hank are good."

"They are?" Nick couldn't help but smile thinking of his dog and best friends with the little boy he adored. "Well, you are going to give Sam a big hug from me, right?"

"Yeah! An' he let me an' daddy take him for a walk. He pee on a tree!"

Nick laughed. "He did?"

"Yeah. I told him not to, but daddy say it okay."

"You doing good? How's school?"

"It good. I drew a picture wif Sam!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. My teacher ask us to draw a picture of our favorite amials, so I drew a picture wif Sam an' Hank an' Uncle Doc's kitty Cinder."

"Wow. Did your teacher like it?"

"Yeah. An' I show it to Aunt Sara an' Aunt Catrin. Dey like it, too."

Nick laughed softly, picturing Jackson with his family and favorite pets. "You'll have to show it to me when I get back, okay?"

Jackson smiled softly. "I will. When you coming back?"

"Not for a little while," Nick said with a sigh.

"But I want you to come back now," Jackson said with a pout.

Nick's heart melted as he heard his godson. "I'll be back soon, I promise. And I know you're taking good care of your daddy and mama and Aunt Sara and everyone, right?"

Jackson giggled. "Yeah. Aunt Sara an' me took Hank an' Sam to da park, an' dey almost chase a squirrel! But da squirrel went up a tree an' I fink he dropped a nut on da doggies head!"

Nick couldn't help but laugh. "It did? Wow! I'll bet the dogs didn't like that."

"Nope. Dey just looked at each udder an' up da tree. Den dey came back an' play fetch wif me!"

Nick missed his team and family in Vegas, and missed them even more listening to Jackson. "I'll be back in a few weeks, and I'll ask Sam about chasing any squirrels."

Jackson smiled. "Uncle Nicky, when you come back, can we come over an' play wif Sam again?"

"Absolutely! I miss him and you. I wish I were there right now."

"I wish you were here too. But when you come back, I gunna show you my picture I drew of Sam in preschool. An' can I draw you sumfin for when you come home?"

Nick smiled softly. "Sure. And I'll be back really soon, I promise."

"Okay. I love you!"

"Aw, I love you too, Jackson." After a moment's pause, Nick asked, "Did you just send me a hug?"

Jackson's eyes widened and he smiled. "Yeah! I send you a big hug because I miss you so much! Daddy, he got my hug!"

"He did?" Greg asked as he gave Jackson a hug of his own.

"I did," Nick said. "And I'm sending one to you too, Jackson."

Jackson smiled from ear-to-ear. "I feel dat, Uncle Nicky!" He blew Nick a kiss over the phone.

"Whoa! I gotta rub that one in," Nick said. Jackson giggled, making Nick miss his godson and friends even more. "Tell your daddy I'll talk to him later, and I'll call Aunt Sara too, okay?"

"Okay." Looking at Greg, Jackson said, "He gunna call you later an' he call Aunt Sara, too!"

"Okay," Greg and Sara said simultaneously.

"And you be good, okay?"

"I will, Uncle Nicky! I love you!"

"I love you too!"

Jackson handed the phone back to Catherine and hugged Greg. "He gunna come back soon!"

"Yeah," Greg said. "And he can't wait to see you again. How about that?"

"Yeah!"

Catherine smiled as she put the phone to her ear. "I think you just made his year."

Nick laughed softly. "Thanks, Cath. I needed that. I've missed everyone, especially that big guy."

"You're very welcome. And I'm so glad I got to see him before I go. I know you've shown me pictures, but he's grown so much since I saw him at his birthday party."

"Yeah, he's amazing," Nick said, smiling softly as he thought about the little boy he and everyone at the lab loved.

Greg mouthed "thank you" to Catherine, and she smiled at the happy little boy with his father. Watching Greg and Sara with Jackson made her smile with pride at her Vegas family.

"Tell everyone hi and I miss them," Nick said. "I'll see them in a few weeks."

"I will. And I think if Jackson could, he'd crawl through the phone and give you a big hug himself."

"I miss those power hugs," Nick said with a soft laugh. "I'll talk to them later, and I'll see you when you get back, okay?"

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Take care!"

"You too. Later!"

Nick smiled, missing his family in Vegas and thinking about the little boy who loved him and his adopted family so much. The next two weeks would tick by slowly, but Nick knew he'd be back with his team and family soon.

Jackson hugged Catherine. "Thank you for letting me talk to Uncle Nicky!"

"You're very welcome, honey." Catherine wrapped her arms around the sweet boy and smiled. "And I'll tell him that you miss him so much and can't wait for him to come home."

"Okay. An' you have a good trip an' tell him dat I love him! An' I love you, too!"

"Aw, I love you."

When they pulled away, Jackson said, "I gunna send you an' Uncle Nicky lots of hugs, so you won't be sad."

"Aw, thank you. And I'll send some to you, okay?"

"Yeah!"

Catherine reveled in hugging the little boy and being with her Vegas family, but knew they were in a good place. She looked forward to getting back to work and getting Nick back to Vegas, but still loved everyone she left behind.

**The End.**


End file.
